THE WORST part wasn’t the prospect of rebuilding the business in a new location, with a new business model. Jackson was actually pretty stoked at the opportunity to do that. The worst part was the waiting, and knowing he wouldn’t be able to even start brewing for weeks and weeks.
While the insurance company dragged their heels and resolutely did not want to come to a decision on the old brewery, Jackson raided his savings and the company profits to start building the new bar. He hired an architect—the friend of his dad’s—and slowly started putting the condo interior together the way he wanted it.
“I want you to be involved.” Jackson shifted on the bed to a better position. He was getting a crick in his neck from holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.
“I know nothing about beer, Jackson. Or bars. Or creating either of those things.”
It was late, past midnight, and Leo should have been asleep ages ago. Jackson had told him so himself. He was feeling like a teenage schoolgirl, though, and was reluctant to end the conversation.
“I know. I still want you involved, though.”
“When’s the meeting with the architect?”
“Thursday.”
“Okay. If I can make it, I’ll be there.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Leo fell quiet then, and the soft sound of his yawn came through the phone.
“Go to bed,” Jackson said.
“I’m already in bed.”
“Go to sleep, then.”
“Not….” He yawned again. “Not tired.”
“I don’t believe you. Go to sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Good night.”
Leo said good night and rang off. Jackson closed his phone case and scrubbed his hands over his face. He wasn’t particularly tired; his day ran later than Leo’s. For the past week, Leo had been starting work at 7:30 a.m. and often didn’t get home until after 6:00 p.m. It had meant they had less time to spend together than usual, but that was okay. Jackson was busy too.
He sat up properly, propping a pillow behind his back, and opened his laptop to go over the specs Linh, the architect, had sent. She had managed to capture the essence of what Jackson wanted, the feel of the place, but he was a little concerned about the amount of space dedicated to the brewery. It was going to be a lot less than he was used to, and he wasn’t yet convinced she’d come up with the best way to organize the space. Leo hadn’t been over yet to see what work was being done in the brewery, but Jackson sent him pictures and plans from time to time.
He fell asleep with the laptop still in the bed with him, and woke with his face pressed to its cool surface.
While plans for downstairs continued to grow, Jackson was happy with how the condo was progressing.
He’d hired a moving truck and spent a day loading it up with most of his stuff from the old house and moving it up to the condo. It had been surprisingly unemotional. Jackson had expected to feel at least slightly sad about moving, but the promise of building a new life much closer to Leo was overpowering the sadness.
The house felt weird now too. Tainted.
Jackson hadn’t decided yet what he was going to do with the house, if he wanted to sell it or develop the land or just leave it for a few years. Even if he did sell, he’d still be able to keep using the land that no one owned if he wanted to shift and run, so it was a possibility to consider.
When he was done moving his stuff, he called the cleaning company to go through the place again, then locked the doors behind himself and put the house and the barn and the fire and everything out of his mind.
By Thursday, Jackson had picked a new desk for his office in the brewery and an awesome leather desk chair, with the promise that it would be delivered the following week, meaning he could finally set up his office space how he liked it.
He was walking through the industrial unit with Linh when he heard the door push open.
“Hello?”
“We’re back here,” Jackson called.
Leo walked cautiously over the uneven floor, following the light from the flashlights Jackson and Linh were holding. With the new industrial lights still not fitted, it was pretty dim on-site in the early evenings.
“Hi,” Jackson said, pulling Leo in close so he could kiss his hairline.
“Hi.”
“Linh, this is Leo, my mate.”
“Nice to meet you,” Leo said, offering his hand for her to shake.
“Same. We were just talking about the dimensions of Jackson’s new brewery.”
“How soon will he be able to get back to work?” Leo asked.
Linh smiled. “I know Jackson is desperate to be brewing again. Is he driving you crazy?”
“Of course not, dear.” Leo tilted his head and offered Jackson a winning smile.
“Hey,” Jackson said, mock-offended.
“We’re going to do the construction in phases,” Linh said. “Starting at the back and working our way forward. That means the brewery should be finished in about five weeks, ready for Jackson to start work again. It might not be pretty, but it’ll be done.”
“We can work on pretty later,” Jackson said.
“Exactly. We’ll get specialists in to install all of Jackson’s equipment. The bar will take longer anyway, because we’ll be decorating and bringing it all up to a higher standard than backstage. Then, once Jackson lets us back in, we’ll fix up the brewery area so he can offer tours and such.”
“Sounds good,” Leo said.
“I’ve got all the drawings upstairs,” Jackson told him. “We can look at them after dinner if you like.”
“You made dinner?” Leo looked hopeful.
“There’s a pot of chili on the stove and cornbread in the oven. You just need to warm the cornbread.”
“You’re amazing.”
“You can go on up if you like. We’re almost done here.”
Leo nodded, said goodbye to Linh, and headed out.
“You seem to have a very wonderful mate,” Linh said.
Jackson grinned. “Believe me, I know.”
They quickly went through the final specs for the bar so Jackson could decide what work he wanted to put with his dad and what would be bought from a commercial supplier. Linh had a good grasp on the overall feel that Jackson was going for, so he trusted her to relay that to the project manager who would oversee the decorating once Linh was done.
Jackson had already booked in with Linh for the builders to start work before the end of February, which was a time frame that suited him just fine. They confirmed a few more details, and then Jackson walked her out, bristling at the cold as he rushed back up to the condo.
Leo was sitting on the couch wearing a pair of Jackson’s sweatpants and a T-shirt.
“Comfy?” Jackson asked with a laugh.
“Very. Sorry. I was cold, and jeans aren’t the best for lazing around in.”
Jackson leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Leo. “You were going to start bringing your stuff over,” he said cautiously.
“I know,” Leo said. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been putting it off on purpose. I just haven’t got round to packing yet.”
Jackson shrugged, affecting nonchalance he didn’t really feel. “There’s not a rush,” he said. “If you need help just let me know.”
“Do you want to come over and help lift heavy stuff?” Leo teased.
Jackson huffed. “I can do that,” he said, smiling.
Leo smiled back. “Okay.”
He only nodded in response, not wanting to make a big deal about it, and went through to the kitchen to start serving up the chili. He jumped when, a moment later, Leo wrapped his arms around Jackson’s waist as he was stirring the pot.
“You all right?”
Leo rubbed his nose against Jackson’s back. “Cold.”
“Turn the thermostat up, if you like.”
“This is better.”
“I agree, but I kind of want to eat.”
“Mm. Me too.”
Leo stepped away and went to the fridge. “What are we drinking?”
“Whatever you can find,” Jackson said. He carefully served two huge bowls of chili. He loved making it like this, simmering the dish for hours to let the flavors blend together. “I think there’s Sprite in there somewhere.”
“That works.”
Leo emerged with two cans, and grabbed silverware from the drawer before taking it all through to the family room and turning on the TV.
As Jackson followed him, he tried not to think too much about how quickly this had become familiar routine.
“Here.” He passed one of the bowls to Leo, who gaped at it.
“Am I expected to eat all this?”
“Not if you don’t want to. It can go back in the pot for leftovers.”
“You made it?”
“Yeah,” Jackson said, stirring the chili with his spoon. “I learned from one of my frat brothers when I was at college. He was from Texas, though his family are from Louisiana, and had the best chili recipe of anyone I’ve ever met. Don’t tell my mom I said that.”
He took a big bite, pleased with Leo’s reaction after he did the same.
“It is good.”
They ate in silence for a while, Leo giving Jackson’s cornbread similar praise, though that came from a box rather than a secret family recipe. Jackson could cook just fine, but he’d been a single man living on his own for far too long. He was all about the shortcuts.
When Leo was done, he stretched out on the couch.
“Look at my belly,” he said, poking it. “You can see how much I just ate. That was amazing.”
“Glad you liked it.”
Jackson picked up Leo’s abandoned bowl and finished what was left. It wasn’t much. Leo had made an impressive effort to clear it.
When he was done, Leo snuggled into his side and Jackson wrapped an arm around his shoulders obligingly. “Do you want to stay tonight?”
Leo stilled his gentle stroking of Jackson’s knee. “I don’t have anything with me. For tonight or work tomorrow.”
Jackson shrugged. “What time do you need to start in the morning? Could you stop by your apartment on your way in?”
“I could… but I’d have to be awake early. Probably ungodly early for you.”
“I don’t mind.”
After a moment, Leo nodded. “Okay. Let’s see if it works.”
“Thank you,” Jackson murmured against his head, then kissed him quickly.
The rest of the evening was comfortingly domestic. They watched TV, washed dishes, and Jackson packed up leftovers so he didn’t need to worry about cooking for a few nights. Leo wore Jackson’s clothes, and Jackson tried not to feel all alpha-male about it.
They made out in the kitchen for a while when Leo was done washing dishes, and Jackson let himself get lost in soft skin and warm lips.
“Do you wanna…?” Jackson asked, mouthing at Leo’s neck.
“Jackson.” Leo chuckled and gently pushed him away. “It’s almost eleven at night, and I ate chili for dinner.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not bottoming for you,” he laughed.
“Oh. Oh.”
“Yeah.” Leo cupped Jackson’s cheek in his palm, then brought their faces together for another kiss. “Another time.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Leo said, still grinning. “I want to have sex with you. You just need to learn to pick your moments.”
Jackson kissed him again. Then again. “Something else, then?”
Leo laughed. “Not tonight. I’m so tired.”
“Okay.” Jackson gave him one last kiss, then backed off. “Do you want to shower tonight or in the morning?”
“Ugh.” Leo dropped his forehead to Jackson’s chest. “Morning, please.”
“No worries. You wanna go upstairs and chill for a while?”
“Isn’t it, like, ridiculously early for you?”
Jackson shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
“Then yes. Please.”
“Go on up, I’ll lock up down here. Help yourself to anything.”
Leo tugged on Jackson’s T-shirt affectionately, then disappeared upstairs.
Jackson took his time clearing up around the first floor, making sure everything was turned off and the front door was locked before he followed Leo. The condo was dark now, and he wasn’t yet familiar enough with the place to be able to feel his way around blind. The moonlight coming in through the hallway window was just enough to see by, though, and when he got to the top of the stairs, light spilled out of the bedroom.
Jackson had bought a new bed for his new bedroom at the condo. The one from the house needed to be replaced anyway, and it wouldn’t have fit in with the décor of the condo. This bed was huge, an oak-framed monstrosity that Jackson adored. Now, with Leo tucked into it, Jackson thought it was pretty much perfect.
Leo’s hair was a little damp, probably from where he’d washed his face. He was curled up on his side, facing the door.
“I won’t be a minute,” Jackson said, finding his voice thick. Something about the sight of his soul mate in his bed seemed to be affecting him.
“I stole a pair of your boxers.”
“Oh. That’s okay.”
Leo threw back the comforter. “The ones with the kisses on them.”
Jackson laughed and felt his cheeks heat. “My mom bought them for me for Christmas.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
He ducked into the bathroom before he could say anything even more incriminating.
It didn’t take long to go through his nighttime routine. Then he went back to the bedroom and closed both doors. Even when he lived alone, he liked having the doors closed when he went to sleep.
“Do you want to put a movie on or something?” Leo asked.
His eyes were already closed, and he looked exhausted. Jackson crawled into bed behind him and carefully pulled Leo into his arms.
“No. This is good.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Lights off,” Jackson said, and the room went dark.
Leo sat bolt upright. “What the hell?”
“Lights on.” The two lamps, one on each nightstand, came back on. “I set up voice controls.”
“For everything?” Leo asked. Jackson tugged him back down.
“Nah. Just in here. I wasn’t sure if it would work but thought it would be fun to try.”
“That’s so cool. Can I do it?”
“Sure,” Jackson said with a laugh.
“Lights off. Oh wow.”
“Come here.” Jackson gently pulled Leo back into his arms and spooned up behind him. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah.”
He fumbled for the edge of Leo’s—well, his—T-shirt and pressed his hand flat against Leo’s belly, then kissed his shoulder.
“Good night,” Leo yawned.
Leo fell asleep quickly. Jackson envied that. He drifted for a while, letting himself become familiar with the weight of Leo in his arms. In these quiet moments when there was nothing else around, Jackson knew he was a compass and Leo was due north. This was right in a way Jackson couldn’t explain and was scared to even try.
He buried his nose in the back of Leo’s neck and breathed him in.
As he got over his inhibitions, one by one, the little things about Leo started to make more sense. All the ways they fit together as lovers, as people.
“You’re not wrong,” Jackson whispered into the dark. “You’re mine, and you’re perfect.”